Lorenzo sibebt



LORENZO SI'BERT, OF MOUNT SIOLONT, VIRGINIA.

Letters Patent No. 79,152, dated June 23, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN'THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL.

dip fitinhrle norm tail! this idiot new tut mating out of its time.

TO ,ALL WHOMIT MAY CONCERN:-

' Be it known that I, LORENZO SIBERT, of Mount Solon, in the county of Augusta, and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the llfa-nufaoture of Iron and Steel, resulting in a product which I call the FSibert Alloy; 'and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the'same.

My invention or discovery consists of a-new and improved method of treating iron ores, in the process of reduction, in an ordinary blast-furnace, so as to produce the Sibert alloy, and then to apply said alloy to the various purposes for which cast andwrougbt iron and steel are used in the arts, and for most of which it is well suited. My process is substantially as follows: i

Ina common iron'furnace, and inconnection with the ordinary lime flux, I use a compound of manganese and" common salt. The proportions in which these materials are used vary according to the quantity of the ores to be reduced and of the metal to be produced, and they modify to somejextent the proportion of lime to be used,'as the experience of the founder will readily ascertain. I have used with the best resultsabout fire hundred pounds of manganese and-ten or fifteen pounds of salt'for aim of metal produced. The manganese isused in the form of hl ack oxide or of wad, and the salt is best applied in the form of a brine, poured over the manganese.

secure a uniform run of metal of any grade desired.

In connectionwith the useof thexeompound flux abore deseribed, and as a means of securing uniformity in the metal produced, I increase or diminish the blast used in the reduction'of the ore without changing the binder of the furnace. The experience. of the founder will enable him to regulate this use of the blast so as to If, by any mistake in the flux, or in the use of the blast, the metal in'the health is found to'be below the grade desired, it may be brought up to the standard by putting in at the dammore or less ofthe samomotal propared for the purpose, and charged with carbon in excess. When the cruoibleof the furnace is about two-thirds full of molten metal, I stir in, with a. quash, about one pound of Epsom salts to the ton ofmetal, and let it remain for about three-quarters of an hour before the metal is run out. This is used as a purifier.

The metal thus produced, if-intended to be recast in a foundry, may be run from the furnace into sand.

f when recast, it should be again treated with the same flux and process, the quantities and proportions being varied according to the grade of the metal used, and the result desired. I have used with success .in recasting about sixty pounds of manganese, five pounds ofsa'lt,-and three-quartersof a pound of Epsom salts to'a ton gradual .cooling.

of metal. If intended to be hammered enrolled, it should he run into hot metallic moulds, and annealed by When intended for railroad-iromt'he metal should be oftho highest-grade, and should be run at once into red-hot metallic moulds. It should be kept for eight orten hours at an annealing-heat in the moulds, and, if desired, the face of the rail may be hardened byichilling. v i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. The use of manganese, in combination with commonlsalt, substantially in tlie'inann er and for the pu'r-' poses herein set forth. e p

I 2. I claim the use of Epsom salts in the treatment of iron in the-furnacc,foi the purpose of purifying the iron. i l

, 3. The method of treatment herein described for. reducing and. purifying the oresand' the metal; hndfor securing uniformity in the quantity of the metal produced. V

' LORENZO SIBERT.

Witnesses:

Guns. A. Penn, SOLON 0-. KEMON. 

